....you know...
Why’d not Why I’d.
by Anonymous | reply 1 | November 13, 2020 6:33 PM |
She showed her sad tits in Fame and any sex appeal she had went down the drain. I'm still convinced that scene made many young boys gay.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | November 13, 2020 6:35 PM |
Her tragic breasts
by Anonymous | reply 3 | November 13, 2020 6:35 PM |
It was those ugly titties. It was such a mistake to flash them in movies when she was younger. I never could think of her for the rest of my life without thinking, "God those puppies were sure hideous."
by Anonymous | reply 4 | November 13, 2020 6:36 PM |
Make it happen girl... 🎬📽💃
by Anonymous | reply 5 | November 13, 2020 6:37 PM |
Raisin titties, drugs, a legal battle with her record company, accusations she was a Donna Summer rip-off (the Moroder factor), doing shit films like Certain Fury.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | November 13, 2020 6:39 PM |
[Quote] After 16 Years in Showbiz, Irene Cara, 21, Gets Her Diploma in Movies with Fame
[Quote] By David Sheff, November 10, 1980.
[Quote] She vows, “I’m gonna live forever,” in her rousing hit from the movie Fame, but the real Irene Cara isn’t about to wait that long. What’s she done so far to get her name in lights? “You’re obviously not from New York,” Cara sniffs to an interrogator. “Everyone in New York knows what I’ve done.”
[Quote] That attitude better becomes a prima donna than a Donna Summer. But no one denies that, at just 21, Irene Cara is hot stuff. She was a regular on PBS’ The Electric Company at 13. She starred in her first movie, Sparkle, at 16. She has acted in Tony-winning plays like The Me Nobody Knows and in the original off-Broadway cast of Ain’t Misbehavin’. In 1979 she portrayed Alex Haley’s young mother in Roots: The Next Generations. More recently, she played opposite Powers Boothe as a mistress of the Rev. Jim Jones in the Emmy-winning Guyana Tragedy.
[Quote] So, for Cara, Fame is the inevitable name of her game. “After all these years, it just makes sense,” she says. “I’ve been working longer and harder than most adults.” It doesn’t bother her that some see her role as Fame’s overly ambitious student singer-actress, Coco, as typecasting. “In talent and ability, Coco was obviously modeled on me,” she airily concludes. “I’m very well known in New York with all the casting people. I got the role in Fame even before they heard me sing.”
[Quote] The movie is set in a school modeled after New York’s High School of Performing Arts (which refused official cooperation). Though some of her co-stars are actually older than she, Irene blesses them all as “unaffected kids; they were great—they didn’t need me for nothing.”
[Quote] Since its release, Cara’s Fame hit has propelled the sound track LP to sales of more than 500,000, and now Out Here on My Own, her powerful ballad follow-up from the film, is also heading toward the top. Her musical training is solid—she once sang backup for Evelyn “Champagne” King and Lou Reed—and, post-Fame this summer, she was chosen to open Ray Charles’ 50th birthday concert in L.A. (The critics were lukewarm, however, and one Hollywood exec in the audience groaned, “She should go back to doing background vocals—she’s not a solo artist.”)
by Anonymous | reply 7 | November 13, 2020 6:41 PM |
[Quote] Few can dispute her performing credits, however, which began at an early age. Raised the youngest of five in the now squalid South Bronx, she had “performing in the blood from the beginning. There’s no childhood for a lot of kids in the Bronx—only survival and killing. But my career gave me a childhood.” Her Puerto Rican father, Gaspar Escalera, a retired professional saxophone player, and her Cuban-American mother recognized Irene’s talents early on and arranged for her training, which started with dancing lessons at 5. She attended private schools, among them the posh Lincoln Square Academy. “I had the most expensive education,” Cara brags. “And my mom was the greatest stage mother. The money I made acting as a child went toward my schooling, but still my parents had to work all the time to pay for my education.” (Her father worked in a steel factory; her mother as a movie theater usher.) Co-incidentally, Irene was accepted at the High School of Performing Arts (where Liza Minnelli and Al Pacino were once students), but did not attend because it would have meant giving up her paid work with The Electric Company.
[Quote] Cara, who now lives temporarily in her mother’s Manhattan apartment, can be feisty and at times abrasive. Eating in an L.A. restaurant, she became belligerent when a waiter took her still burning cigarette away and clamorously berated him to the maître d’. She remains hush-hush about the men in her life, but says she prefers to spend her time among close women friends. “Men have put me through so many changes,” she complains. “They can’t deal with me as just a person, as pretty and as talented as them. They get very ‘Where’s my Barbie Doll?’ ‘Where’s my groupie?’ ” Though she doesn’t frequent discos, she likes to go “partying until you see daylight and people start falling out.”
[Quote] Now Irene has been cast by ABC as an anorexia nervosa victim who befriends Jodie Foster in a forthcoming made-for-TV movie, The Best Little Girl in the World. Though she has her astrological chart read regularly, Cara isn’t sure whether a Fame sequel is in the cards: “Yeah, maybe,” she shrugs coolly, “called Failure.”
by Anonymous | reply 8 | November 13, 2020 6:41 PM |
Alan Parker should have known better. Some stunt tits would have worked better.
She did the ROOTS II miniseries, SPARKLE, FAME, the Oscar for the FLASHDANCE movie. Then a series of bad films and albums...didn’t she have a coke problem as well?
by Anonymous | reply 9 | November 13, 2020 6:41 PM |
And we were supposed to be convinced that photographer was turned on by them?
by Anonymous | reply 10 | November 13, 2020 6:41 PM |
That article makes her sound arrogant as fuck.
by Anonymous | reply 11 | November 13, 2020 6:44 PM |
Irene Cara was basically just a stand-in for Donna Summer, who for some insane reason refused to sing the themes from Fame and Flashdance. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | November 13, 2020 6:45 PM |
Do all the drugs you like as long as you show up to work.
by Anonymous | reply 13 | November 13, 2020 6:47 PM |
Donna became Born Again in 1980, and basically stopped having fun. Irene sounded a bit like Donna and thus, the door was open for her to sing Moroder's fun songs. Even Laura Branigan's Gloria sounded like the songs Donna should have been singing in the '80s. When Donna did sing a more upbeat song like She Works Hard for the Money, she had a huge hit. She could have had so many hit songs because she basically created the template of '80s pop girls with Bad Girls.
Irene just didn't have enough of a presence on stage. Every live performance she gave she was really pedestrian. I remember seeing her guest on the Kids from Fame concert and she was so dull.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | November 13, 2020 6:49 PM |
Her failed sitcom pilot....wretched. I think that she is pretty though.
by Anonymous | reply 15 | November 13, 2020 6:49 PM |
Donna really sabotaged her career in the 80s. She could've been just as huge as she was in the 70s if she'd done the right material and didn't turn down so many songs that went on to be huge hits for other artists. The Jesus stuff and her stupid husband being her manager really hurt her professionally.
by Anonymous | reply 16 | November 13, 2020 6:50 PM |
Didn't a lot of people initially think that Donna Summer was singing "Gloria" when that song first came out?
by Anonymous | reply 17 | November 13, 2020 6:51 PM |
Donna was on the Flashdance soundtrack, singing the less than inspired "Romeo."
by Anonymous | reply 18 | November 13, 2020 6:52 PM |
She could hack it as a child star, but not as an adult.
by Anonymous | reply 19 | November 13, 2020 6:52 PM |
Wow, this thr is about Irene Cara and we’re going on about Donna Summer.
I guess Irene does lack presence 😃
by Anonymous | reply 20 | November 13, 2020 6:53 PM |
Irene Cara was, as my father used to say, "uglier than a dog's ass." She was never going to be a huge star.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | November 13, 2020 6:54 PM |
She wasn't ugly. She wasn't much of an entertainer and he voice wasn't first class.
by Anonymous | reply 22 | November 13, 2020 6:55 PM |
we talked about this once here, some posters claimed she was a complete cunt to work with and THAT’s what did her in, not her little tiddies.
by Anonymous | reply 23 | November 13, 2020 6:56 PM |
Horrible tits aside, she really is great in Fame. She was born to play that part. The arrogance in the article above in r7 and r8 is probably why she was perfect as Coco, because she was a diva, too.
Although you would have expected a supposedly street smart character like Coco to know that sleazy filmmaker's game.
by Anonymous | reply 24 | November 13, 2020 6:57 PM |
I always thought Erica Gimpel who played Coco on the TV series was prettier and more likable. Gimpel also aged really well.
Irene is talented but she lacks something.
And she must have been horrible to work with because although she had issues with her recording career, her acting career completely washed up too.
by Anonymous | reply 25 | November 13, 2020 6:59 PM |
Coco was so thirsty and desperate for fame she went against her instincts and she showed her breastuses.
by Anonymous | reply 26 | November 13, 2020 6:59 PM |
I loved her song "The Dream" from the DC Cab soundtrack.
by Anonymous | reply 27 | November 13, 2020 7:10 PM |
I called in sick today because I’m burned out. Came across this thread and decided to watch Fame the OG version, still watching it now. I’ve never watched the entire movie, maybe snippets of it on tv when I was little.
I must say I find Irene Cara annoying in the movie and not annoying in a charismatic way, just annoying. She’s supposed to be a diva in the making but when she’s onscreen there’s nothing to justify it. Now Leroy, that’s a diva. WHET Leroy?
by Anonymous | reply 28 | November 13, 2020 8:00 PM |
Drugs, AIDS.
by Anonymous | reply 29 | November 13, 2020 8:05 PM |
Whatever the real reason was, it was a really weird ending to her career.
One minute she was at the top of the charts, and then she was...gone. There was no slow, downward slide to the bottom. There was no highly publicized scandal that did her in. There was no massive flop disaster album that she couldn't recover from. There was no announcement of her needing to take a break from showbiz or whatever. She just disappeared, seemingly overnight, from the airwaves and the public consciousness.
"Breakdance" was her 3rd biggest hit single, after the two movie themes. Yeah, it was a terrible song, a song about break dancing that nobody wanted to break dance to, but it was a hit, and she should have followed it up with something to keep the momentum going. Nothing came, and the public moved on pretty quickly and forgot about her.
by Anonymous | reply 30 | November 13, 2020 8:16 PM |
She had an album on Elektra records in 1987. It's not accurate to say she just disappeared. She declined commercially, like most do.
by Anonymous | reply 31 | November 13, 2020 8:21 PM |
[Quote] I remember a story about her touring in JCS with Dennis DeYoung in the 90s. She played Mary Magdelene and the legend has it she sneezed during I Don't Know How to Love Him and half her collapsed septum went flying across the stage.
by Anonymous | reply 32 | November 13, 2020 8:22 PM |
[quote] She wasn't ugly.
No one said her face was ugly. Only her titties. And they were not just ugly, they were hideous.
by Anonymous | reply 33 | November 13, 2020 8:22 PM |
[Quote] No one said her face was ugly. Only her titties.
[Quote] Irene Cara was, as my father used to say, "uglier than a dog's ass."
by Anonymous | reply 35 | November 13, 2020 8:26 PM |
It always amuse me when gay men are contemptuous of small tits. As if big pendulous breasts are your thing...
by Anonymous | reply 36 | November 13, 2020 8:26 PM |
Oh. The "Flashdance" girl (sniff.)
by Anonymous | reply 37 | November 13, 2020 8:31 PM |
[quote] She showed her sad tits in Fame and any sex appeal she had went down the drain.
She became a one-tit wonder.
by Anonymous | reply 38 | November 13, 2020 8:37 PM |
R36, I can't quite recall every detail of her tits, but didn't see achieve the rare small, pendulous tits?
by Anonymous | reply 39 | November 13, 2020 8:39 PM |
She was a drunk.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | November 13, 2020 8:39 PM |
Just saw her tits as I’m still watching the movie now. The tits, wow you guys weren’t exaggerating. There are small tits that look great, in fact small round tits are great on women because they look perky and youthful, plus they don’t sag. But Irene’s are small, wide apart, pendulous banana tits. I can’t unsee them now.
by Anonymous | reply 41 | November 13, 2020 8:45 PM |
Her tits made me gay.
by Anonymous | reply 42 | November 13, 2020 8:49 PM |
She sued her record label for non-payment of royalties and they barred her from recording elsewhere while the suit was pending (or so she claims) and then other labels didn't want to sign her because she stood up for herself. I'm sure she was owed money, but her career was already on the wane. That plus a horrendous drug problem all but killed her chances at a comeback.
by Anonymous | reply 43 | November 13, 2020 8:52 PM |
[Quote] the rare small, pendulous tits?
Don't think so.
by Anonymous | reply 44 | November 13, 2020 8:52 PM |
[Quote] other labels didn't want to sign her because she stood up for herself.
Elektra records was a label.
by Anonymous | reply 45 | November 13, 2020 8:53 PM |
How has she managed to live for the past 35 years? Could royalties from two songs she didn't even write be enough?
I always wonder that about artists who haven't worked in decades and didn't have a huge catalog.
by Anonymous | reply 46 | November 13, 2020 8:54 PM |
[quote] How has she managed to live for the past 35 years? Could royalties from two songs she didn't even write be enough?
She co-wrote Flashdance (and won an Oscar for it). I'm sure she's lived comfortably off the royalties of that song and will continue to do so.
by Anonymous | reply 49 | November 13, 2020 8:57 PM |
She guested on Wendy Williams' show earlier in the decade and she was clearly still able to afford pep-me-ups.
by Anonymous | reply 50 | November 13, 2020 9:00 PM |
I cant believe that utter shit like"Breakdance" charted higher than both "The Dream" and "Why Me". Shockingly wrong!
by Anonymous | reply 51 | November 13, 2020 9:01 PM |
[quote] Elektra records was a label.
I believe the suit happened after she was dropped by Elektra. I know it wasn't settled until the '90s (in her favor).
But that's why I said (OR SO SHE CLAIMS) in plain English.
by Anonymous | reply 52 | November 13, 2020 9:04 PM |
Wasn't the suit related to her first label?
by Anonymous | reply 53 | November 13, 2020 9:10 PM |
Irene was in the 1985ish feature film "Certain Fury" with Tatum O'Neal. BOX. OFFICE. BOMB. Killed her film career.
by Anonymous | reply 54 | November 13, 2020 9:10 PM |
The guy who wrote YEAR OF THE CAT lives nicely off the royalties so I'm sure the Flashdance royalties keep her housed, clothed and fed. (It is an amazing song having nothing to do with the lyrics but it worked for her)
by Anonymous | reply 55 | November 13, 2020 9:13 PM |
[quote] Wasn't the suit related to her first label?
Yes, but the poster was refuting the claim that she couldn't get signed by another label after the suit. I believe she had already been signed by Elektra before the suit was filed (but I don't know that for sure). However, Elektra was a one and done deal and she was dropped very quickly after Carasmatic was released. Cara was claiming that once the damage to her reputation had been done due to the prolonged nature of the suit and the slurs about her character, she was unable to score another record deal.
I'm sure she'd like to think it was that, but she was also a nasty person with a drug habit and a flop album in her rear view mirror. No one was clamoring for her.
by Anonymous | reply 56 | November 13, 2020 10:00 PM |
She looks like Maya Rudolph in the OP.
by Anonymous | reply 57 | November 13, 2020 10:15 PM |
i can’t imagine what’s she’s doing in 2020.
by Anonymous | reply 58 | November 13, 2020 10:46 PM |
[quote] Irene Cara was, as my father used to say, "uglier than a dog's ass." She was never going to be a huge star.
That doesn't stop a homely girl with talent, hunty!
by Anonymous | reply 59 | November 13, 2020 10:51 PM |
Co-writing one song from 40 years ago could support her all this time?
by Anonymous | reply 60 | November 13, 2020 10:54 PM |
Seriously. Where is she?
by Anonymous | reply 61 | November 13, 2020 11:00 PM |
[quote] It always amuse me when gay men are contemptuous of small tits.
Did we complain they were small? NO. We complained they are UGLY and that she showed them off in two movies anyway.
Don't put words in other posters' mouths.
by Anonymous | reply 62 | November 13, 2020 11:05 PM |
Raisin tits.
by Anonymous | reply 63 | November 13, 2020 11:11 PM |
Vivian Vance.
And them titties of hers.
by Anonymous | reply 64 | November 13, 2020 11:16 PM |
Uglyass titties.
by Anonymous | reply 65 | November 13, 2020 11:27 PM |
What do people like Irene Cara do after their fame fades? You never hear about them going into another profession or anything like that. How has she spent her time for the past thirtysomething years?
by Anonymous | reply 66 | November 13, 2020 11:28 PM |
[quote] Co-writing one song from 40 years ago could support her all this time?
Do you know how many times Flashdance has been used in other forms of media over the past 40 years? And every time a hefty license fee is secured, part of which goes to Cara. Plus continued sales on all sorts of 80s compilations over the years, huge streaming numbers, film licensing to all manner of home media, worldwide. She's the artist and the co-writer, so she gets a larger slice in many of those situations.
Consider that since 1994, Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas has made $60m in royalties. Carey sang the song and co-wrote it so she likely earned a good chunk of that figure for herself. Yes, it's a perennial song, but Flashdance is part of pop culture legend, and was around for an additional 11 years, so it's safe to assume that Cara has taken home a commensurate amount. Yes, she blew through a lot of it early on, and her lawsuits ate up a lot of money, but the song is the gift that keeps on giving. And if she invested well since then, then she's set for life.
by Anonymous | reply 67 | November 13, 2020 11:29 PM |
I remember reading she was fired from aint misbehavin before it went to broadway when she was found strung out on drugs either when she missed or right before a performance.
Also that her mother was a dragon lady stage parent.
by Anonymous | reply 68 | November 13, 2020 11:35 PM |
She probably invested her money wisely and is content to live comfortably in obscurity. According to Wikipedia, she divides her time between New Mexico and Florida. That can't be cheap. Not everyone is a desperate Jennifer Garner-style famewhore.
by Anonymous | reply 69 | November 13, 2020 11:42 PM |
No one is saying small tits are ugly, just that hers were, well she should have insisted on using a tits double. Someone like Miley Cyrus who has small and nice, round tits could pull it off.
by Anonymous | reply 70 | November 13, 2020 11:43 PM |
Miley's tits aren't small, they're medium size. If you want to see small tits, look at Kate Hudson.
by Anonymous | reply 72 | November 14, 2020 12:00 AM |
Yay.
Another Irene Cara thread.
Yippee.
I guess it's that time of year again.
Whee.
by Anonymous | reply 73 | November 14, 2020 12:17 AM |
Miss Mills @ R59, don’t make me start a thread on you!
by Anonymous | reply 74 | November 14, 2020 12:24 AM |
Karen Kamon, you just died recently.
by Anonymous | reply 75 | November 14, 2020 12:30 AM |
For those asking how you can afford to live off the proceeds of one single hit song? Patrick Hernandez has been living very comfortably for 40 years in the south of France off the royalties of just one song, the global mega-hit “Born to be alive” (the one that features DL fave Madonna as a backup singer).
by Anonymous | reply 76 | November 14, 2020 12:32 AM |
Pancake tits
by Anonymous | reply 77 | November 14, 2020 12:38 AM |
James Blunt with his hit, You’re Beautiful, lives quite nicely from royalties from that one song.
by Anonymous | reply 78 | November 14, 2020 12:41 AM |
R72 no Miley’s tits are small, she herself said so but said she was proud to be A-cup. Kate Hudson’s tits (before fake ones) were not small, they were non-existent pretty much pancake tits.
by Anonymous | reply 79 | November 14, 2020 12:44 AM |
Has she been arrested for meth?
by Anonymous | reply 81 | November 14, 2020 12:53 AM |
I wonder if Alan Parker asked her to show those raisin titties before shooting?
I'm surprised she wasn't asked to get a boob job.
by Anonymous | reply 82 | November 14, 2020 1:09 AM |
Kate Hudson and Irene are sisters in breasts. Both cute.
by Anonymous | reply 84 | November 14, 2020 1:12 AM |
Out here on my own is still a beautiful song and she did it wonderfully. I remember even back then hearing she was "difficult" .I loved her as Coco,and I will always love Fame.
by Anonymous | reply 85 | November 14, 2020 1:18 AM |
Flashdance was also turned into a stage show, so Irene gets some money from live performances of it.
by Anonymous | reply 86 | November 14, 2020 1:20 AM |
Irene's duet with Freddie Jackson, from the 1989 animated movie "All Dogs Go to Heaven."
by Anonymous | reply 87 | November 14, 2020 1:23 AM |
Was Irene's nemesis David Geffen?
by Anonymous | reply 88 | November 14, 2020 1:24 AM |
There was a show on youtube I watched where some British guy tracked down cast members from Fame the TV show and movie.
Cara was the hardest to find (I think they built it up for dramatic purposes)
He eventually found her and they talked in a restaurant somewhere in AZ or NM.
by Anonymous | reply 89 | November 14, 2020 1:27 AM |
I thought she sued Geffen and won? And wasn't the Electra album was pulled as part of that lawsuit against Geffen Records? You piss off a bitch like Geffen and your career is dead in the water, big boobs or tiny titays.
by Anonymous | reply 90 | November 14, 2020 1:29 AM |
r57 I though the picture was of Maya too. She looks more like Irene than she odes her mother, Minnie Riperton.
by Anonymous | reply 91 | November 14, 2020 1:29 AM |
does*
by Anonymous | reply 92 | November 14, 2020 1:30 AM |
"Karen Kamon, you just died recently."
Even death does not stop the manhunt, R75.
by Anonymous | reply 93 | November 14, 2020 1:31 AM |
If she divides her time between Florida and New Mexico then she probably claims residence in the former because there’s no income tax there.
It’s not that hard for someone to not work if they have a decent stream of income from real estate investments. A rental property or two will generate enough income if you live within your means. It’s how Ryan O’Neal hasn’t had to work for decades. For someone like Cara who wasn’t a big star but had success nonetheless, it’s still likely that she had earned enough money to invest wisely to generate income stream aside from royalties. The smart ones don’t live on royalties, they use money to make more money so they don’t have to rely on royalties l.
by Anonymous | reply 94 | November 14, 2020 1:38 AM |
Irene's mom cameos at the 0:20 mark. I don't know how anyone expected this song to be a hit.
by Anonymous | reply 95 | November 14, 2020 1:39 AM |
Maybe she has a husband or boyfriend that works.
by Anonymous | reply 96 | November 14, 2020 1:39 AM |
Donna Summer pissed off David Geffen and look what happened to her career.
by Anonymous | reply 97 | November 14, 2020 1:46 AM |
She has the tits of a 12 yo in her first training bra.
by Anonymous | reply 98 | November 14, 2020 1:51 AM |
So, small?
by Anonymous | reply 99 | November 14, 2020 1:54 AM |
Fame was written by Michael Gore, who won an Oscar for ir and got his break in show biz thanks to older sister Lesley, who in turn got to write On My Own at a time when her star had dimmed thanks to little brother Mikey coming to the rescue.
It’s as if Warren Beatty had help cast Shirley on some relevant movie during her 70s downtime - which he didn’t.
by Anonymous | reply 100 | November 14, 2020 1:56 AM |
Way too small for an adult woman. Women have small tits, but hers were the arrested development version.
by Anonymous | reply 101 | November 14, 2020 1:56 AM |
Way too small for an adult woman. Women have small tits, but hers were the arrested development version.
by Anonymous | reply 102 | November 14, 2020 1:56 AM |
That 1985 set of that movie with Tatum O’Neal must have been one huge continuous pile of coke on each trailer.
by Anonymous | reply 103 | November 14, 2020 1:59 AM |
I remember being shocked that she won the Best Female Vocalist Grammy. I was sure it was going to be either Linda Ronstadt for her Nelson Riddle collaboration "What's New" or Donna Summer for "She Works Hard For The Money".
So Irene had 2 major hits (Fame, Flashdance) and 2 minor (Breakdance, Out Here On My Own) , and that was it?
by Anonymous | reply 104 | November 14, 2020 2:05 AM |
I can only imagine you all going in on Ellen Foley.
by Anonymous | reply 105 | November 14, 2020 2:13 AM |
We like Ellen Foley. She's been discussed in numerous threads.
by Anonymous | reply 106 | November 14, 2020 2:29 AM |
Siedah Garrett lives of royalties for Man in the Mirror she co-wrote the song
by Anonymous | reply 107 | November 14, 2020 2:32 AM |
I love this song by Irene -- You Were Made for Me.
by Anonymous | reply 108 | November 14, 2020 2:44 AM |
"It's not accurate to say she just disappeared. She declined commercially, like most do."
There really was no "decline", per se. There was considerable success....a 2nd album that contained a #1 hit, another top 10 hit, and also a top 20 hit...and then, nothing at all.
Until 4 years later, when an album was released that didn't chart, and the single released from it didn't make ANY chart either. Not the pop chart, not the R&B chart, not the adult contemporary chart, not the dance chart. Nada. That's not a decline, that's a complete vanishing act from the public.
I maintain that it's one of the weirder career arcs I've ever seen. At the end of the "What a Feeling" album cycle in 1984, she appeared to be in ascendance. For her to completely fall off the cliff into total career oblivion seemed very unusual.
by Anonymous | reply 109 | November 14, 2020 3:20 AM |
r109 that's also how I remember it. She had a hot streak for a while in both music and movies and then she just seemed to disappear. You never heard anything about her, which was weird for someone who had a number of solid credits behind her. She wasn't exactly a one-hit wonder.
by Anonymous | reply 110 | November 14, 2020 3:25 AM |
[Quote] There really was no "decline", per se. There was considerable success....a 2nd album that contained a #1 hit, another top 10 hit, and also a top 20 hit...and then, nothing at all.
Did the albums sell, though? And how many flop singles? She could still get a movie theme at the end of the decade. But beyond that, she was done... (So were other, more successful recording artists of the '80s like Pat Benatar or Jody Watley.)
by Anonymous | reply 111 | November 14, 2020 3:33 AM |
Do you posit the same question about Jennifer Warnes? She had two big movie hits ("Up Where We Belong" and "I've Had The Time Of My Life") in the eighties and nothing else really hit. I don't think her critically acclaimed Leonard Cohen covers album did much business.
by Anonymous | reply 112 | November 14, 2020 3:35 AM |
Speaking of "I've Had the Time Of My Life," that was another song Donna Summer turned down. It was offered to her first, but she didn't like that the movie was called "Dirty Dancing." Seriously, that's why she turned it down. Another dumb career move.
by Anonymous | reply 113 | November 14, 2020 3:38 AM |
Luther told me, "Gurl, you got some ugly-ass titties."
by Anonymous | reply 115 | November 14, 2020 3:42 AM |
Irene's career lasted for about five years. Meh.
by Anonymous | reply 117 | November 14, 2020 4:12 AM |
[quote] Do you posit the same question about Jennifer Warnes? She had two big movie hits ("Up Where We Belong" and "I've Had The Time Of My Life") in the eighties and nothing else really hit. I don't think her critically acclaimed Leonard Cohen covers album did much business.
Jennifer is an odd bird, though. She's something of a recluse and wasn't really chasing success. It kind of just found her for a little while.
by Anonymous | reply 118 | November 14, 2020 4:39 AM |
[quote] Irene's career lasted for about five years. Meh. —Dionne (Farris, not Warwick)
That's about four and a half years longer than yours did, bitch!
by Anonymous | reply 119 | November 14, 2020 4:41 AM |
I know from watching Botched that she has tuberous breasts, basically a birth defect that is very difficult to correct with plastic surgery. She is probably better off by not getting them mutilated.
Kate Hudson’s pre-boob Job tits were cute. She didn’t have the sag or protruding nipples like Irene did.
by Anonymous | reply 120 | November 14, 2020 4:43 AM |
I used to think that scene from Fame was unrealistic and the character too sophisticated to go through with it BUT I read Vanessa Williams describe her experiences and they were almost the same. (You'd think she'd have seen Fame and been more aware. Actually she was molested by a female cousin and she now thinks that the naked photos were away of acting out sexually to deal with the trauma.)
by Anonymous | reply 122 | November 14, 2020 4:53 AM |
Or she was happy to show off her body until she realized that such a notion wouldn't fly with her audience.
by Anonymous | reply 123 | November 14, 2020 4:59 AM |
Anorexic tits
by Anonymous | reply 124 | November 14, 2020 5:00 AM |
She killed her career singing 'Here's To The Losers' at the Oscars.
by Anonymous | reply 125 | November 14, 2020 5:17 AM |
She was able to afford a Todd Terry set of remixes in the mid 1990s.
by Anonymous | reply 127 | November 14, 2020 5:21 AM |
She was no Jody Watley...or even Milli Vanilli.
by Anonymous | reply 128 | November 14, 2020 7:05 AM |
Wrongo, R112. It took several years, but Warnes' "Famous Blue Raincoat" album was eventually certified as a million-seller.
by Anonymous | reply 129 | November 14, 2020 10:10 AM |
I love the album, r129, but if it takes forever to sell, that's not great for an artists' career. "Dusty In Memphis" has been great for Dusty Springfield's legacy but it didn't help her career when she was still pursuing record success.
by Anonymous | reply 130 | November 14, 2020 4:26 PM |
*artist's
by Anonymous | reply 131 | November 14, 2020 4:26 PM |
I don't want to doubt you, R129, because I adore Jennifer and I think that album is amazing, but I can't find any certification or sales figures for it, and I find it hard to believe it even went gold, let alone platinum. Do you have anything to back it up?
And R130 makes an interesting point because Warnes was supposed to do a second volume of Cohen songs, but the first album sold so little at the time that they couldn't raise the money to do another. It's a real shame Warnes didn't do more recording.
by Anonymous | reply 132 | November 14, 2020 4:33 PM |
Seconding R129 on Famous Blue Raincoat. One of my favorite albums ever.
by Anonymous | reply 133 | November 14, 2020 4:39 PM |
You're seconding that it was a million seller?
by Anonymous | reply 134 | November 14, 2020 4:44 PM |
No, he's seconding that "the disc is a classic."
by Anonymous | reply 135 | November 14, 2020 4:48 PM |
Wow, some gays are obsessed with Jennifer Warnes, of all people! LMAO!
by Anonymous | reply 136 | November 14, 2020 4:49 PM |
Who do you expect to be a fan of Jennifer Warnes? Kid Rock fans?
by Anonymous | reply 137 | November 14, 2020 4:50 PM |
I love this thread.
Only on Datalounge could you move from speaking about Irene Cara's raisin titties to Jennifer Warnes' masterpiece album, Famous Blue Raincoat.
Honestly, though, FBR is a fucking masterpiece. It introduced me to Leonard Cohen and I don't think there is anyone who can sing his songs better than Jennifer. I saw Warnes in a concert a few years ago in Toronto and while it was a good show, she only sang one Cohen song - as part of a medley! When she asked for requests from the audience, we all shouted "Songs from Famous Blue Raincoat"!!!! She didn't take our advice and instead sang Up Where We Belong with a backup singer. Bitch.
by Anonymous | reply 138 | November 14, 2020 5:12 PM |
I don’t like your fashion business, mister.
by Anonymous | reply 139 | November 14, 2020 5:22 PM |
Now let's compare Irene Raisin Cara to Juice Newton.
by Anonymous | reply 140 | November 14, 2020 5:24 PM |
Wow, how long ago was that concert, R138? I remember she did a show in LA I want to say somewhere in the past 10 years and I was away on a shoot and couldn't attend. I was so upset as I figured it would be my last shot to ever get to see her live.
I got in touch with her a while back through (I want to say) one of her reps because I wanted to interview her on camera for a project I was working on and I got a very nice note back saying that she was declining. I got the idea she was reticent about being filmed. Her participation wasn't urgent, but I would have loved to sit down with her for an hour.
by Anonymous | reply 141 | November 14, 2020 5:28 PM |
Juice Newton dodged the low note in "Angel of the Morning." She can fuck off.
by Anonymous | reply 142 | November 14, 2020 5:28 PM |
According to the RIAA website, Jennifer Warnes has achieved gold or platinum status only twice in her career, for the singles "Up Where We Belong" (platinum) and "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" (gold). None of her albums, including "Famous Blue Raincoat", have gone gold or platinum.
by Anonymous | reply 143 | November 14, 2020 5:28 PM |
I believe Jennifer is already working on a follow up to her last album, which was only released a year or two ago.
by Anonymous | reply 144 | November 14, 2020 5:29 PM |
Believe it or not, "Up Where We Belong" was also a song that was originally offered to Donna Summer.
by Anonymous | reply 145 | November 14, 2020 5:31 PM |
Jen Warnes is still alive??! LMAO!
by Anonymous | reply 146 | November 14, 2020 5:31 PM |
It must have been about five or six years ago r141. She sounded lovely but I wish she had sung more Cohen. Everybody in the audience seemed to have the same response.
by Anonymous | reply 147 | November 14, 2020 5:32 PM |
Jennifer Warnes is one of the "whitest" singers ever.
by Anonymous | reply 148 | November 14, 2020 5:37 PM |
Those single certifications are interesting (and a little disingenuous). Before Jan 1, 1989, you had to sell 1m copies of a single to go gold and 2m to go platinum. After that date, it was reduced to 500K for gold and 1m for platinum (the same as a full album).
Up Where We Belong was certified gold and platinum on Jan 17, 1989 for sales of 1m, but all of its sales were prior to the date change, so really, the song only went gold.
One could argue similarly about I've Had the Time of My Life, which was certified gold in Feb 1989, but I'd buy that it reached a half million around that date, as the song had only been released 18 months prior.
by Anonymous | reply 149 | November 14, 2020 5:37 PM |
What about Jen's Right Time of the Night?
by Anonymous | reply 150 | November 14, 2020 5:39 PM |
My favorite Warnes original is Shot Through the Heart.
by Anonymous | reply 152 | November 14, 2020 5:41 PM |
Didn't grow up in the 80s so didn't get to hear Cara's other non film hits. I finally got to hear them on my 80s station and they were all really fun and enjoyable. I see that none of them were licensed to streaming services probably due to the lawsuits and there is no greatest hits album. I just love 80s cheese in general. Giorgio Moroder is a genius.
by Anonymous | reply 153 | November 14, 2020 6:04 PM |
Why Me and the D.C. Cab theme, The Dream, are BOPS!!!
I bet even Irene liked to shake her little titties to those ditties!
by Anonymous | reply 154 | November 14, 2020 6:08 PM |
Why Me is a damn good song. I like The Dream, also, but it doesn't hold up the way Why Me does.
Never cared for Breakdance and I have no idea why it was the standout.
by Anonymous | reply 155 | November 14, 2020 6:23 PM |
Jennifer made them put a boob shot at the end of the "Why Me" video just to stunt on you hoes.
by Anonymous | reply 156 | November 14, 2020 6:46 PM |
*Irene
by Anonymous | reply 157 | November 14, 2020 6:47 PM |
I think Breakdance was a hit because of timing; it was released at the right time, at the height of breakdancing's popularity.
by Anonymous | reply 158 | November 14, 2020 7:02 PM |
I've never heard Breakdance.
by Anonymous | reply 159 | November 14, 2020 7:03 PM |
Breakdance was a top 10 hit, hitting number 8. And I don't think most people remember it.
by Anonymous | reply 160 | November 14, 2020 7:15 PM |
I was around back then, and I can't remember Breakdance at all.
by Anonymous | reply 161 | November 14, 2020 7:22 PM |
Wow, OP. Is that a recent photo? She still looks really good as a middle aged woman.
by Anonymous | reply 162 | November 14, 2020 8:20 PM |
Poo poo 💩
by Anonymous | reply 163 | November 14, 2020 8:27 PM |
Bump
by Anonymous | reply 164 | November 14, 2020 11:33 PM |
Is it time to move on to Kim Carnes yet?
by Anonymous | reply 165 | November 15, 2020 1:02 AM |
Don't awaken the Kim Carnes troll!
by Anonymous | reply 166 | November 15, 2020 1:04 AM |
OH God, not the Kim Carnes troll, please.
I don't want to keep reading about how they got moist listening to Crazy in the Night.
by Anonymous | reply 167 | November 15, 2020 1:16 AM |
I'm available if you gays would like to chat about me.
by Anonymous | reply 168 | November 15, 2020 1:19 AM |
Kim Carnes? She had one song. At least Irene had 2-3 songs and a campy movie.
by Anonymous | reply 169 | November 15, 2020 1:21 AM |
No, I think we should talk about another singer with raisin titties.
Who's available?
by Anonymous | reply 170 | November 15, 2020 1:21 AM |
Don't look at me, R170!
by Anonymous | reply 171 | November 15, 2020 1:23 AM |
[quote]Kim Carnes? She had one song.
Oh Jesus you must not be familiar with The Kim Carnes Troll! He will go on a tirade about how she had MANY hits and was one of the most IMPORTANT artists of the 80s. He's fucking nuts.
by Anonymous | reply 172 | November 15, 2020 1:40 AM |
I nominate Stacey Q. Skinny dance pop diva who studied ballet for 10 years. Shaking them small perky ballet dancer tits. Actually like how the 80s singers didn’t feel the need to supersize to fake titties. Whitney had small ones but she got bolt-ons later.
by Anonymous | reply 173 | November 15, 2020 1:47 AM |
Stacey Q was on The Facts of Life. Not once but twice. Her character ran off with George Clooney.
by Anonymous | reply 174 | November 15, 2020 2:06 AM |
Her character did not "run off" with GeorgeClooney. He left to work as a roadie on her world tour. Sh e was also on Mama's Family as a member of The Bonecrushers
by Anonymous | reply 175 | November 15, 2020 2:10 AM |
How has she earned a living the last 35 years?
by Anonymous | reply 176 | November 15, 2020 2:16 AM |
It's been explained above r176. Apparently the royalties from Fame (which she co-wrote) and investments. I guess that has sustained her at a middle-class level, at least.
by Anonymous | reply 177 | November 15, 2020 2:26 AM |
R177 Thanks. I didn’t want to read through 175 posts to possibly find the answer.
by Anonymous | reply 178 | November 15, 2020 2:29 AM |
R176, Facts of Life royalties. Dumb ass.
by Anonymous | reply 179 | November 15, 2020 2:29 AM |
Ok DL’ers, which gay porno did Stacey Q sing Two of Hearts?
From the brief article linked below: “ Her second attempt at a hit, We Connect failed to connect on the charts. During a visit to Tibet, Swain converted to Buddhism, where she studied at monasteries. Soon after, she recorded a “spirtually minded pop album”: 1997’s Boomerang (it bombed). Two years later, she made a guest-appearance singing “Two of Hearts” in a gay porno and has gained a following in both the gay and Buddhist communities.“
by Anonymous | reply 180 | November 15, 2020 2:34 AM |
Irene Cara in many ways had the best kind of career. For those who just want to work for a few years in your 20s then coast on royalties and investment income for rest of your life, it’s not bad at all. No constant rejections and upping your game to compete with the next hot, young thing. No need to work for a living but still get to have a comfortable, middle-class/ upper-middle class lifestyle.nevertheless.
by Anonymous | reply 181 | November 15, 2020 2:43 AM |
I've read that Katrina Whatsername from Katrina and the Waves makes over $1 million per year from "Walking On Sunshine." If you can write a big hit song that gets lots of licensing agreements, you really can have it made.
by Anonymous | reply 182 | November 15, 2020 2:58 AM |
I thought was the anti carnes troll that was fingering themselves to crazy in the night?
by Anonymous | reply 183 | November 15, 2020 3:01 AM |
Why do I get no love?
by Anonymous | reply 184 | November 15, 2020 3:05 AM |
“WHEN WE....”
by Anonymous | reply 185 | November 15, 2020 3:09 AM |
Cara's body filled out and I'm sorry I called them "raisin tits."
by Anonymous | reply 186 | November 15, 2020 3:13 AM |
[quote] Oh Jesus you must not be familiar with The Kim Carnes Troll! He will go on a tirade about how she had MANY hits and was one of the most IMPORTANT artists of the 80s. He's fucking nuts.
I'm not the Carnes troll, but she DID have more than one hit. She's probably at the same level as Cara, actually. One super enormous hit, a couple more Top 10s and a sprinkling of Top 20s. Kim lasted a smidge longer than Cara did on the charts, but Cara had a 10+ year film/tv career and did Broadway even before that.
Kim and her husband were songwriters, though, and probably made a shit ton of money on the songs they wrote for country artists, which is ironic considering Kim did not write her biggest hit and doesn't get as much in royalties on it.
by Anonymous | reply 187 | November 15, 2020 6:25 AM |
Irene must have needed money to do "Country 2" with Jermaine Jackson, Lorenzo Lamas and Miss Sean Young.
by Anonymous | reply 188 | November 15, 2020 6:32 AM |
Have any of you seen Irene's women in prison flick, "Caged In Paradise"?
by Anonymous | reply 189 | November 15, 2020 6:33 AM |
One off Euro single from 1988: "I Can Sleep."
by Anonymous | reply 190 | November 15, 2020 6:35 AM |
The Junior Vasquez mix of "All My Heart" is cute.
by Anonymous | reply 191 | November 15, 2020 6:38 AM |
[quote] Irene must have needed money to do "Country 2" with Jermaine Jackson, Lorenzo Lamas and Miss Sean Young.
Irene also did a short lived reality/game show series on NBC about 15 years ago called Hit Me Baby One More Time where pop stars of yore (the 80s and 90s) competed against each other, singing one of their own songs and a "hit from today." She won her episode and performed the "hit from today" with her group Hot Caramel, which she was trying hard to get off the ground. She may have done the Country series for similar reasons.
by Anonymous | reply 192 | November 15, 2020 6:49 AM |
PICTURES COME ALIVE, YOU CAN DANCE RIGHT THROUGH YOUR LIFE 💃 😷
by Anonymous | reply 194 | November 15, 2020 7:15 AM |
Enough of Jennifer Warnes and Kim Carnes. Let’s get back to that LOSER Irene Cara!
by Anonymous | reply 195 | November 15, 2020 11:49 AM |
She left that Gone Country series after one night in the house. She thought it was going to be serious documentary-type thing about people who wanted to write music stretching beyond their specialty (pop music, R&B, acting) to write a new song as a team. When she realized it was a Big Brother type thing, she walked off. Sorry, but I respect her for not wanting to make an ass out of herself.
Caged in Pardiso is a horrible B-movie. Her husband was a stuntman who aspired to direct. The result is proof he should have stuck to falling out windows. Totally "Up All Night" quality. And it was made just two or three years after her hot streak. It really was a strange descent for her, to go from household name to. . .that.
by Anonymous | reply 196 | November 15, 2020 12:18 PM |
Screw Irene, why didn't her "Sparkle" co-star Lonette McKee have a bigger career? She was (for a time) much prettier than Irene and a more interesting singer. I wish Curtis Mayfield had allowed the original cast to appear on the Sparkle OST rather than acquiescing to Aretha's demands...
by Anonymous | reply 197 | November 15, 2020 12:32 PM |
Rainey’s original version of “I can fly” is much better though irenes’s probably would’ve been pretty good if the production values weren’t karaoke level.
by Anonymous | reply 198 | November 15, 2020 1:32 PM |
I Can Fly? You mean I Believe I Can Fly. #1 for me, bitches.
by Anonymous | reply 200 | November 15, 2020 4:32 PM |
Lonette was incredible in Sparkle. Oscar-worthy.
by Anonymous | reply 201 | November 15, 2020 4:35 PM |
[quote]Screw Irene, why didn't her "Sparkle" co-star Lonette McKee have a bigger career?
Pauline Kael said the movie made a huge mistake by killing off Lonette and Dorian Harewood's characters and leaving the audience with Irene and Phillip Michael Thomas' insufferable characters.
There was buzz for Irene at the time of Fame's release that Irene would get a Best Supporting actress nomination.
by Anonymous | reply 202 | November 15, 2020 4:41 PM |
Yeah, Sparkle suffers when Lonette leaves the movie. That Cara is supposed to become a huge star seemed odd because she lacked the charisma of Lonette, whose character should have become a megastar.
by Anonymous | reply 203 | November 15, 2020 4:45 PM |
But Lonette DIDN'T become a megastar... and if she coulda been, she woulda been. And that's. Show business.
by Anonymous | reply 204 | November 15, 2020 4:59 PM |
No, No Lonette
by Anonymous | reply 205 | November 15, 2020 5:10 PM |
Lonette is great in Cotton Club, and great to see the new version with all her character put back.
by Anonymous | reply 206 | November 15, 2020 5:16 PM |
If she was starting now, Irene would’ve been made to get a nose job before she ever made a movie. Also she would’ve gotten fake tits. She would’ve been marketed like a Selena Gomez type.
by Anonymous | reply 207 | November 15, 2020 5:26 PM |
Kim Carnes had a Top 10 hit with her cover of “more love” and another one with Kenny Rogers called “don’t fall in love with a dreamer”. She is a renowned songwriter and has written multiple top 10 country hits for other artists.
by Anonymous | reply 209 | November 15, 2020 5:51 PM |
^ But what are her tits like?
by Anonymous | reply 210 | November 15, 2020 5:54 PM |
Kim Carnes had ten top 40 hits from `1980- 1985 as well as appeared on the Flashdance and the We Are the World albums.
She was a huge star.
by Anonymous | reply 211 | November 15, 2020 5:56 PM |
^ But, what are her tits like?
by Anonymous | reply 212 | November 15, 2020 6:01 PM |
Irene, gurl, my Sparkle is the one everyone remembers. Remember my name!! Everyone remembers Whitney!!
And Irene, I got a little work done on my breasts. Best decision I ever made. Bobby loved grabbing my new babies. BOBB-AY!!!
You should try it too. Work with what the Lord gave you. I love the Lord!!
by Anonymous | reply 213 | November 15, 2020 6:04 PM |
This thread trashing Irene is why we hate you.
by Anonymous | reply 214 | November 15, 2020 6:05 PM |
Whitney had small tits and I think she didn’t get them done until after Waiting to Exhale because her tits still looked small in that movie. She may have had small banana tits but we just never saw them.
by Anonymous | reply 215 | November 15, 2020 6:23 PM |
[Quote] we just never saw them.
Not true.
by Anonymous | reply 216 | November 15, 2020 6:25 PM |
Merv, the only way you saw her tits is if she gave you her bra for you to try on.
by Anonymous | reply 217 | November 15, 2020 6:31 PM |
OP's pic looks like Maya Rudolph.
by Anonymous | reply 219 | November 15, 2020 6:37 PM |
And yet you are on an Irene Cara thread on DL on a Sunday afternoon r214.
You hate yourself.
by Anonymous | reply 220 | November 15, 2020 6:46 PM |
Didn't she just write one line of the Flashdance song?
by Anonymous | reply 221 | November 16, 2020 2:13 AM |
Her voice was too raspy.
by Anonymous | reply 222 | November 16, 2020 2:25 AM |
OP’s pic looks like if Maya Rudolph and Tatiana Ali had a baby.
by Anonymous | reply 223 | November 16, 2020 2:27 AM |
Her flop album, [italic]Carasmatic[/italic], has some decent tunes on it, in particular "Be Your Number One" and "Say Goodnight Irene (to your career)", written by John Farrar.
by Anonymous | reply 224 | November 16, 2020 3:18 AM |
[Quote] Didn't she just write one line of the Flashdance song?
I wrote one line of the Arthur Theme but it's the one everyone remembers.
by Anonymous | reply 225 | November 16, 2020 3:58 AM |
I think Cara wrote "what a feeling" so she wrote the most remembered line too.
by Anonymous | reply 226 | November 16, 2020 4:17 AM |
Who was she married to? Did she ever spawn? I don't think she did.
by Anonymous | reply 227 | November 21, 2020 3:01 PM |
Is it just me, or does a young Irene Cara look like a Downs Syndrome version of AOC?
by Anonymous | reply 228 | November 21, 2020 3:24 PM |
She married the stunt co-ordinator of the movie she made with Tatum O'Neal. He went on to direct Irene in the women in prison movie she did. They were married from 1986 to 1991.
by Anonymous | reply 229 | November 21, 2020 3:28 PM |
Where did you hear Cara only wrote one line of what a feeling?
by Anonymous | reply 230 | November 22, 2020 1:21 AM |
Joe Bean Esposito was in line to sing the theme tune to Flashdance, so it wasn't a given that Irene would sing it. Did she give away any songs to other artists? Above she mentioned Luther covering one of her songs - did she release the song first?
by Anonymous | reply 231 | November 22, 2020 1:23 AM |
R230, on Datalounge, Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush are the only women who could ever write a song. The story always went that Moroder wrote the music and needed a lyricist who could evoke something like Cara's "Fame". He didn't know she didn't write "Fame" but she and Keith Forsey got together and wrote the lyrics while riding around NYC in a cab. Only on DL does her role in the song get diminished to having just written one line. Sbe has several solo songwriting credits before and after "Flashdance" but, supposedly, those must be fraudulent, as her name is neither Joni nor Kate.
by Anonymous | reply 232 | November 22, 2020 1:28 AM |
IIRC correctly, Irene was a holdout. Why would she be a holdout for a song she wrote? I guess there could have been label issues.
by Anonymous | reply 233 | November 22, 2020 1:31 AM |
An Irene Cara co-write with the Brother Johnson.
by Anonymous | reply 234 | November 22, 2020 1:36 AM |
[quote] on Datalounge, Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush are the only women who could ever write a song. The story always went that Moroder wrote the music and needed a lyricist who could evoke something like Cara's "Fame". He didn't know she didn't write "Fame" but she and Keith Forsey got together and wrote the lyrics while riding around NYC in a cab. Only on DL does her role in the song get diminished to having just written one line. Sbe has several solo songwriting credits before and after "Flashdance" but, supposedly, those must be fraudulent, as her name is neither Joni nor Kate.
In fairness to DL, I have actually heard that rumor (and as far as I know, that's all it is- a rumor), for years, well before there was a Datalounge.
by Anonymous | reply 235 | November 22, 2020 6:00 AM |
Taylor Dayne stole her career.
by Anonymous | reply 236 | November 22, 2020 6:02 AM |
That song is horrible R234.
by Anonymous | reply 237 | November 22, 2020 10:22 PM |
It's not a horrible song. It's a jam.
by Anonymous | reply 238 | November 22, 2020 11:42 PM |
Jams are horrible.
by Anonymous | reply 239 | November 22, 2020 11:48 PM |
Master Blaster (Jammin')?
by Anonymous | reply 240 | November 22, 2020 11:52 PM |
Jam On It
by Anonymous | reply 241 | November 23, 2020 3:20 AM |
Jammin on the one...
by Anonymous | reply 242 | November 23, 2020 4:20 AM |
Whitney Houston
by Anonymous | reply 243 | November 23, 2020 5:33 AM |
[quote] Lonette was incredible in Sparkle. Oscar-worthy.
I have a sentimental attachment to "Sparkle." It wasn't a masterpiece by any stretch but Lonette jumps off the screen -- beautiful and charismatic -- she was a natural star. In a different world she would have actually been a star. She is a musician/singer who became an actress.
by Anonymous | reply 244 | November 23, 2020 6:00 AM |
[quote] Lonette was incredible in Sparkle. Oscar-worthy.
I have a sentimental attachment to "Sparkle." It wasn't a masterpiece by any stretch but Lonette jumps off the screen -- beautiful and charismatic -- she was a natural star. In a different world she would have actually been a star. She is a musician/singer who became an actress.
by Anonymous | reply 245 | November 23, 2020 6:00 AM |
Lonette must be difficult to work with, or her representation at the time was giving her terrible advice, or she just didn't want it that badly- something- because she was arguably the best black female singer actress at that time (not most famous, but one of the most talented), and she was gorgeous. She could have worked much more in film (although she may not have found the roles in film back then as fulfilling, as they were likely wife and girlfriend or hooker roles) and she absolutely could have been one of the premier stage musical actresses of the 80s. I'd love to know what happened there.
by Anonymous | reply 246 | November 23, 2020 6:39 AM |
Lonette has always said her racially ambiguous looks worked against her. No one would cast her as a white woman. While many casting directors felt her looks were not representative of black womanhood and could alienate a black female audience. "The Cotton Club" could have been another Oscar nomination for her but Coppola was forced by the studio to cut most of her storyline as well as her dazzling performance of "Stormy Weather" from the theatrical version. Spike Lee used her regularly but in small roles.
by Anonymous | reply 247 | November 23, 2020 1:22 PM |
Lonette is rude AF. Be gone, has-been!
by Anonymous | reply 249 | November 23, 2020 2:25 PM |
Her response at R248 is hysterical.
by Anonymous | reply 250 | November 23, 2020 2:44 PM |
Amazing that a person can write one song and live off of it for forty years.
by Anonymous | reply 251 | November 23, 2020 3:00 PM |
I know R251.
by Anonymous | reply 252 | November 23, 2020 3:09 PM |
Yes, apparently Katrina is another one with Walking On Sunshine. Lucky bitches!
by Anonymous | reply 253 | November 23, 2020 3:11 PM |
Bump for Irene!
by Anonymous | reply 254 | November 23, 2020 5:44 PM |
I've never heard Lonette's version of Stormy Weather, but her Ill Wind is pretty stunning.
by Anonymous | reply 255 | November 24, 2020 1:21 AM |
Irene Cara thought she was the star of Fame. She wasn't. Carol Massenburg as Shirley Mulholland was.
by Anonymous | reply 256 | November 24, 2020 1:38 AM |
R255. It's not on YouTube otherwise I'd post. Lonette has said her character in "Cotton Club" was inspired by Lena Horne. So appropriately her performance was dazzling. It was sumptuously shot, with chorines flouncing about and VERY dramatic -- hands dancing, bared teeth, bugged eyes, arms outstretched -- she acted the song. If the original cut of 'The Cotton Club' was released theatrically she could have received a Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.
by Anonymous | reply 257 | November 24, 2020 1:39 AM |
R257, she would have lost that Oscar, you cheeky bugger!
by Anonymous | reply 258 | November 24, 2020 1:42 AM |
Yes, she would have lost but a nomination would have set her career on another trajectory.
by Anonymous | reply 259 | November 24, 2020 1:59 AM |
Yes, she would have lost but a nomination would have set her career on another trajectory.
by Anonymous | reply 260 | November 24, 2020 1:59 AM |
at first glance, I thought that was Mya Rudolph in the op pic.
by Anonymous | reply 261 | November 24, 2020 2:34 AM |
[quote] Mya
Oh, DEAR.
by Anonymous | reply 262 | November 24, 2020 2:00 PM |
Mamma Maya. Here I go again.
by Anonymous | reply 263 | November 24, 2020 10:32 PM |
If my name was Lonette, I'd be angry too.
by Anonymous | reply 264 | November 25, 2020 12:58 AM |
Lonette had her own singer-songwriter album.
by Anonymous | reply 265 | November 25, 2020 1:23 AM |
That whore Lonette better stop trying to take the focus off of Irene!
by Anonymous | reply 266 | November 25, 2020 1:24 AM |
No No Lonette
by Anonymous | reply 267 | November 25, 2020 1:27 AM |
None of the Fame cast did very well afterwards except Paul McCrane.
by Anonymous | reply 269 | November 25, 2020 1:40 AM |
Meg Tilly had a good run until she voluntarily retired. She played Brad Pitt's wife a few years ago.
by Anonymous | reply 270 | November 25, 2020 1:42 AM |
Meg was pretty much an extra in Fame not sure any attention she got afterwards came from Fame. She did get that prime lift right at prime moment in the dance in the street of the title song. Iconic film moment.
by Anonymous | reply 271 | November 25, 2020 1:45 AM |
R269, Paul McCartney was not in fame.
by Anonymous | reply 272 | November 25, 2020 1:49 AM |
r272 yes dear we know. Now take your pills and get some rest.
by Anonymous | reply 274 | November 25, 2020 1:51 AM |
I would suggest that Debbie Allen has had a bigger career than Paul McCrane.
by Anonymous | reply 275 | November 25, 2020 1:52 AM |
Boyd Gaines has had a very successful stage career - Broadway etc.
by Anonymous | reply 276 | November 25, 2020 1:53 AM |
Debbie Allen? Wasn't she a minor celibrity in 1988?
by Anonymous | reply 277 | November 25, 2020 1:54 AM |
Yeah, and Debbie is still going. She is a big wig on Grey's Anatomy, still acts and still directs.
Fame COSTS!!!
by Anonymous | reply 278 | November 25, 2020 1:54 AM |
Isaac Mizrahi also became a quite well known fashion designer.
by Anonymous | reply 279 | November 25, 2020 1:55 AM |
Boyd Gaines licked my snatch!
by Anonymous | reply 280 | November 25, 2020 1:55 AM |
Holland Taylor has also had a long career.
by Anonymous | reply 281 | November 25, 2020 1:57 AM |
[quote] None of the Fame cast did very well afterwards except Paul McCrane.
Go fuck yourself!
by Anonymous | reply 282 | November 25, 2020 1:57 AM |
Yes Debbie Allen had a bigger career but she wasn't one of the key players in the original Fame film. I was referring to them: Montgomery, Doris, Ralph, Coco, Bruno, Leroy, Lisa, and Hillary. There's a cool picture of them in Times Square somewhere in this thread. I love the way Paul McCrane dressed in the film.
by Anonymous | reply 283 | November 25, 2020 1:58 AM |
lol r282 I was going to say Teefy really followed Fame up with some notorious flops
by Anonymous | reply 284 | November 25, 2020 1:58 AM |
I felt bad for Gene Anthony Ray. I know I know, he pretty much sabotaged himself but what a waste of talent. He must’ve been heavy into the cocaine. Who was he dating? I can’t imagine him being a snow queen.
by Anonymous | reply 285 | November 25, 2020 2:04 AM |
Guys, you're all forgetting about Barry Miller, who went on to have a solid career in film, tv and stage for the next 20 years, winning a Tony award in 1985.
Strangely, he doesn't seem to have acted since 2003 (unless it's been onstage regionally).
by Anonymous | reply 286 | November 25, 2020 2:20 AM |
I think Lonette lied about her age. She doesn't sound 14 on this 1968 release.
by Anonymous | reply 287 | November 25, 2020 2:21 AM |
Miller did do ok. Won a Tony for Biloxi Blues but then oddly didn't get to reprise the part in the movie.
On Illeana Douglas youtube show she had Penelope Ann Miller on and Miller came up in conversation. Douglas said where is he. Miller laughed and made a gesture of "he's crazy" with her finger.
by Anonymous | reply 288 | November 25, 2020 2:22 AM |
We had a tasteful friends thread about Miller when he sold a house in 2017. Nice house must have saved his money.
by Anonymous | reply 289 | November 25, 2020 2:24 AM |
I CAN HAVE IT ALL.... HAVE IT ALL.... *jazz hands* 🤗
by Anonymous | reply 290 | November 25, 2020 2:38 AM |
We all remember Debbie Allen's annual interpretive dance numbers at the Oscars, which were an HOMAGE to the nominated films. Mercilessly ridiculed every year, but it went on for awhile.
by Anonymous | reply 291 | November 25, 2020 2:50 AM |
Wait a minute- Boyd Gaines is straight??
by Anonymous | reply 292 | November 25, 2020 2:55 AM |
R290
REM MEM BAH
REM MEM BAH!
by Anonymous | reply 293 | November 25, 2020 3:21 AM |
This is MY thread! MY THREAD!
by Anonymous | reply 294 | November 25, 2020 3:35 AM |
Wasn’t Debbie Allen married to James Ingram? He died recently.
by Anonymous | reply 295 | November 25, 2020 10:27 PM |
No, she was married to Norm Nixon, the basketball player.
by Anonymous | reply 296 | November 25, 2020 10:31 PM |
Irene, where are you living these days? Are you a southern CA chick? NYC broad? Miami mama?
by Anonymous | reply 297 | November 26, 2020 12:04 AM |
Irene should be proud that the song fame gave the world the incredible dancing talent of Michelle sutlovich.
by Anonymous | reply 298 | November 26, 2020 12:46 AM |
I wonder why so few of the movie cast did the TV series.
by Anonymous | reply 299 | November 26, 2020 12:54 AM |
The TV series is so different from the movie. Completely different tone. Coco is still fame-hungry but Gimpel's Coco would never have taken off her blouse, Montgomery was desexualized and the actor couldn't sing, Leroy was still feisty and fun but watered down, Ralph turned into Danny, who was less serious and more fun (in the spirit of the show).
I still like the show, though.
by Anonymous | reply 300 | November 26, 2020 1:04 AM |
Take your passion... and make it happen!!!! 💃
by Anonymous | reply 301 | November 26, 2020 1:09 AM |
I loved the way Paul McCrane dresses in Fame. I think I may try and emulate it now.
by Anonymous | reply 302 | November 26, 2020 5:44 AM |
As long as you want to go crazy like the dogs in the yard, go for it.
by Anonymous | reply 303 | November 26, 2020 6:03 AM |
Barry Miller was also in Saturday Night Fever, so he was working/in the map before Fame anyway...
I always remember him most as the physicist in Peggy Sue Got Married
by Anonymous | reply 304 | November 26, 2020 8:58 PM |
Barry Miller must have have invested very well to be able to buy that house his last film/tv credit is in 2003 and his last broadway show was in 1992.
by Anonymous | reply 305 | November 26, 2020 10:03 PM |
Maybe he's in another profession.
by Anonymous | reply 306 | November 26, 2020 10:09 PM |
Barry Miller is really good in the Fame film. I actually like all the lead performances. Alan Parker got good work from them.
by Anonymous | reply 307 | November 26, 2020 10:31 PM |
In the 1980s, I worked for a radio network and one of the shows we produced was a live performance show featuring the top music artists of the day. Irene Cara was booked for one of these performances. We were working with a production company in LA that would deal with the artists directly and handle the logistics for us (we were in New York City). So they always had gossip/feedback for us about the artists after the performance. About Irene Cara, they told us she not only arrived at the venue clearly stoned out of her mind but she puked in the limo that transported her to and from the venue.
by Anonymous | reply 308 | November 26, 2020 10:31 PM |
I still have her nose.
by Anonymous | reply 309 | November 26, 2020 10:33 PM |
I love it when posters like r308 pop up with first-hand dish!
by Anonymous | reply 310 | November 26, 2020 10:36 PM |
No kids either?
by Anonymous | reply 311 | November 26, 2020 11:24 PM |
I heard Turn the Beat Around yesterday on Sirius XM and Irene Cara's voice is so recognizable in the background vocalists. You hear her before you hear Vicki Sue Robinson.
Cara returned the favor five years later and brought VSR in to sing background on Fame.
by Anonymous | reply 312 | December 2, 2020 4:45 PM |
I loved an early pre-Flashdance single she had called 'Anyone Can See'. The title song to that shitty movie with Tatum O'Neal "Certain Fury" is pretty good as well. It was supposed to be a single but she was battling with her record company at the time.
by Anonymous | reply 313 | December 2, 2020 5:01 PM |
Maya Rudolph could portray her in a biopic. Chocolate Chip Pancakes: The Irene Cara Story
by Anonymous | reply 314 | December 2, 2020 5:17 PM |
Y'all weren't as dismissive of Lola Falana's tits.
by Anonymous | reply 315 | December 2, 2020 5:19 PM |
I'm STILL astounded by the pure shittiness of the song at R95. Even by 1987 standards that was horrible! The only thing I can think of is that they were going for something similar to Madonna's 'True Blue'. Same cheesy Pop vibe, except Irene Cara's track is MUCH MUCH worse.
by Anonymous | reply 316 | December 2, 2020 5:25 PM |
Agreed, R316. The Carasmatic album was a bit uneven but Girlfriends was NOT lead single material and no one should have backed that to kick off the albums promotion. (Although, due to the lawsuit with Network and Geffen, no promo actually happened other than the video no one played, if I recall. The album and single just sort of came out and were already shelved.) There were two other tracks that would have made great singles (Be Your Number One and We're Gonna Get Up). But Girlfriends sounded dated, not retro cute as had been intended, but dated in a very bad way. It didn't matter that she had a ton of big female names (at the time) singing backup; it sounded way off from anything else on the radio, but not in a good way.
by Anonymous | reply 317 | December 2, 2020 5:33 PM |
"Girlfriends" isn't dreadful, it's just an unremarkable Girl Group pastiche.
by Anonymous | reply 318 | December 2, 2020 5:34 PM |
Productions like this show how Madonna was really clued into the right productions sounds from the outset of her career.
by Anonymous | reply 320 | December 2, 2020 5:36 PM |
I've always loved her version of Reach Out. The Disco vibe on that is perfection. Dated, even in 1982, but the best thing on that album.
by Anonymous | reply 322 | December 2, 2020 5:38 PM |
R317. OK. I just checked out the 2 songs you suggested from "Carasmatic" and those would have been much better choices as singles. 'We're Gonna Get Up' has that feelgood Mid 80s/Kenny Loggins Pop feel. 'Be Your Number One' is even better and could have worked Pop AND R&B. Clubs too, if that had brought someone like Shep Pettibone or Paul Simpson to remix/extend it. A missed opportunity.
'Girlfriends' was bad. Even if it was only released because of the famous backing vocalists she had on the track, that wasn't going to do her any good without them all appearing in the music video. One thing I will say, is that Irene looked absolutely fabulous during that period. The best of her career!
R319, R20, that sound was TOTALLY dated by 1981 standards and definitely had no place on the charts in 1982! In 1981 the synths & drum machines came into Pop/R&B music. Early 1981 was the last hurrah for that traditional 70s Disco sound. Irene's look was all wrong as well. Madonna was RIGHT ON TIME with what was happening in Pop & R&B music that that time.
The ballad they released as a single from Irene's 1982 project, 'Anyone Can See' was pretty good and should have made some noise on Top 40, R&B & AC Radio. I have no idea why it stalled?
My takeaway from this topic and knowing what I already knew about Irene Cara's career, is that she's a beautiful, talented lady who's career suffered from horrible management all around. Questionable music & film choices. Questionable choices for singles. Questionable lack of promotion on things she did that actually were good. And questionable decisions all around.
I'm not sure how much Irene had to do with her own demise in the entertainment business. but her record labels and management certainly played a HUGE part in ruining what could have been a Quadruple Threat Career (Music, Films, TV & Broadway). She should have had a string of hits throughout the entire decade of the 80s and more in the 90s. Sad.
by Anonymous | reply 324 | December 2, 2020 8:36 PM |
Oh, her music choices are tragic, but she has a nice voice. But she's lovely, seriously.
by Anonymous | reply 325 | December 2, 2020 9:03 PM |
She looks like Maya Rudolph in the OP.
by Anonymous | reply 326 | December 2, 2020 9:49 PM |
Irene Ryan had more sex appeal than Irene Cara.
by Anonymous | reply 327 | December 10, 2020 4:40 AM |
I loved Irene Ryan's topless scene.
Such bosoms!
by Anonymous | reply 328 | December 10, 2020 10:10 PM |
Years ago on here someone said that Irene's problems with Geffen Records stemmed from the fact that her & David Geffen were seeing the same man at some point. LOL.
by Anonymous | reply 329 | December 10, 2020 10:31 PM |
You guys forgot Richard Belzer was in Fame. The most famous of all.
by Anonymous | reply 330 | December 11, 2020 2:42 AM |
Has Irene ever discussed her lead role in the 1979 Broadway flop "Got Tu Go Disco"? LOL.
by Anonymous | reply 331 | December 15, 2020 12:48 AM |
So how were dem titties?
by Anonymous | reply 332 | July 4, 2021 1:38 AM |
You mean "COCO TITS"!!!
by Anonymous | reply 333 | July 4, 2021 4:13 AM |
Damn, What a Feeling was an amazing song! Fame was equally good too. They both hold up today.
by Anonymous | reply 334 | July 4, 2021 4:22 AM |
"Irene" is an old lady (grandma) name.
by Anonymous | reply 335 | July 9, 2021 2:26 PM |